The waterfall with the name Yukankoski, unusual and unusual for a Russian, is not located anywhere, but in the territory of Karelia. It is considered one of the highest cascades in the area. Locals call it this: White Bridges.
Briefly about the waterfall
The White Bridges Waterfall (Yukankoski) is striking in its scale. Its height ranges from 15 to 19 meters, the water descends in raging cascades. It is much higher than the more famous Kivach waterfall, a local attraction, whose height is only 10.7 meters. Yukankoski is located on the Kulismajoki River in a picturesque place in the middle of a dense forest, where you have to get along difficult roads. The nearest settlements are the village of Leppyasylta, the distance to which is 10 km, as well as the city of Pitkäranta, located 33 km from the city. White bridges. Despite the beauty of the waterfall itself and the magnificent landscape as a whole, it is not particularly famous and is rarely visited by tourists.
Hydronym
The name of the waterfall comes from a small Finnish settlement that was once located on the Kulismayoki River. The settlement was called Yukankont, which is translated from Karelian as “yucca manor”, and the name of the waterfall is translated as “yucca threshold”.
But in the 70s of the last century, local residents decided to rename Yukankoski. They called it more easily pronounced - White Bridges waterfall. This name appeared thanks to the Finns who built the road, and then the white stone bridges across the river. One of the bridges passed right in front of the waterfall. Today, only ruins remained from them, which are quite difficult to find in the midst of a large number of stones lying around. Sometimes the waterfall is called "White Pillars", but this is the wrong name.
Seasonal changes
The White Bridges Waterfall varies with the time of year. In spring, a turbulent full-flowing river with impurities of peat turns the water yellow. The waterfall furiously brings down massive water currents from all its height into a foaming cauldron at the foot.
In summer, the amount of water decreases significantly, its color changes from yellow to crystal clear. Now you can distinguish individual streams of water that quickly slide into a cascade and form foamy lace at the foot. The water warms up quickly, so in the summer there are a lot of people swimming directly in the waterfall.
In the fall, Yukankoski is gaining strength again, water flows become more powerful, but not the same as in the spring and only until the first frosts. With the onset of cold weather, the waterfall is constrained by thin ice, and with the onset of severe frosts it becomes covered with ice flows. Despite this, water continues to flow under the ice.
Picturesque surroundings
White Bridges Waterfall is surrounded by incredibly beautiful landscapes. The Kulismayoki River runs along ancient boulders covered with moss, centuries-old spruce trees rise on the left bank. Not far from Yukankoski is a beautiful meadow where you can set up camp.
Around the waterfall and in the nearby area of 87.9 hectares, the White Bridges hydrological natural monument has been created. But tourist trips to this area are not prohibited, with the condition of a careful attitude of man to nature.
Wild places
The very presence and influence of man in the vicinity of Yukankoski is minimal. From the Finnish settlement, which gave the name to the waterfall, there were only ruins. Therefore, wild animals in these places quite freely. If you be careful and try not to make noise, you can meet the most diverse representatives of the Karelian fauna.
White Bridges Waterfall - how to get
To get to the waterfall, you need to get to the turn to Lake Ruokojärvi. You can get here from the cities of Sortavalla, Pitkäranta or Yarn. This turn to the lake is quite noticeable, at the intersection of Sortavala-Petrozavodsk built a site for car repair. The road itself is unpaved and moves to the left side of the highway.
Having made this way to visit the White Bridges waterfall, then you should go straight without turning into forks, some of them are quite wide and can be misleading. If a lake appears on the left side, then the direction is chosen correctly.
After that, the road becomes sandy and begins to go uphill, then you should keep to the right until the signs with the inscriptions "White Bridges" appear. From them, to the waterfall itself, another 2-2.5 kilometers remain, they can be walked while admiring the magnificent scenery and nature almost untouched by human hands, or you can drive by car.
In the summer, the road to the waterfall is passable for almost any car, but it is not wide and very crowded places are often found in the forest, therefore, there may be problems when driving with oncoming vehicles.
Thanks to modern technology, many problems in finding a specific place disappear by themselves. Now it’s enough to use a GPS-navigator to visit the White Bridges (waterfall). Coordinates: 61 ° 45'12 "N; 31 ° 24'37" E.
Yukankoski Falls is unique and incredibly beautiful at any time of the year. The only thing that makes it difficult to access, and therefore less popular, is forest roads. But having visited this picturesque place, and having seen the waterfall itself, you can acquire pleasant memories and recharge your batteries with positive emotions for a long time.